The 67th running of the Daytona 500 is expected to witness record numbers as NASCAR prepares to kick off its regular season in 2025, and fans seem to agree with what Dale Earnhardt Jr. had to say. Often referred to as ‘The Great American Race,’ the famed 500-mile-long event looks to break records this year with an expected 45 total entries, a series high ever since 2015, when 49 entries joined the fray.
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Big names such as four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves and Junior’s Xfinity Series team, JR Motorsports making their Cup Series debut are some highlights from the upcoming race. With the interest surrounding the first points-paying race of the season seemingly at a high, Junior commented on the situation earlier this month and said:
“Good sign of health but also the economics of it is the car count. If you’re going to start 30 cars and 40 are there, that’s great. If you’re going to start 30 cars and only 28 show up, it’s concerning.”
Fans seem to agree with the former Hendrick Motorsports driver’s opinion as many took to social media to express their views. “50+ cars showing up was always so damn cool. Even if most of them were trash cans,” opined one fan, hoping for a future 50+ strong Daytona 500 field, just as was witnessed in 2010.
Car counts are growing… biggest they've been since 2015
— meatball (@lar5on42) January 17, 2025
“Can we get back to 2007 numbers, please, and thanks?” wrote another, wishing for a 60+ strong field for arguably NASCAR’s biggest race. “So many drivers in 07′,” expressed another, referencing the same year’s entry list. “I see a trend. Just like NASCAR down,” one fan wrote, pointing towards a not-so-positive trend for the event during the past few years.
With data from the past 20 years to look back on, NASCAR certainly has trended towards fewer Daytona 500 entries during recent years. With this number expected to be the highest it has ever been since 2015 this year, the sport’s popularity seems to be trending in the upward direction. This is exactly what Dale Earnhardt Jr. also mentioned on his popular podcast, The Dale Jr. Download.
It remains to be seen what the final entry list number is as we inch closer to the famed event which is due to go live from the tri-oval at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025, at 2:30 pm ET. Recent retiree Martin Truex Jr. will also be seen participating in the race with a TRICON Garage entry, making the upcoming event an intriguing watch.
